Bebe in Cameroon

The Bebe have only been reported in Cameroon
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Isolated in the hilly North West Province near the Nigerian border. Only Sabongida can be reached by vehicle and then only during the dry season when the river is low, since there is no bridge. All other locations can only be reached by trekking from one to two hours one-way.


What Are Their Lives Like?

English is the language of wider communication for the area. It is also used daily by the Bebe, expecially among the youth, mainly to communicate with non-Bebe speakers. Bebe-speakers learn Kemezung and Nsari, the neighboring and most closely related of the Eastern Beboid languages, due to frequent contact with these speakers. The level of comprehension of these other languages, however, is in the marginal range. It varies with the amount of contact.

When asked, the people expressed a positive interest in learning to read and write their own language. They also want their children to learn it. The people of Bebe-Jama stated that they would like to be able to send a letter to a friend and have it understood. They are also open to becoming literate in Kemezung or Nsari. Adult literacy percentages are assumed to be low due to the low educational level. 60-75% of children attend primary school, but very few go on to secondary school due to poverty and distance. Very few secondary schools are available to them.

Buildings are made of mud brick, some thatched roofs especially in the eastern villages. There is no electricity available. One must trek to get to the villages.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Religiously, the two Bebe villages differ in profile. Bebe-Jama claims that the largest religious group in their village consists of followers of traditional religion and that Muslims form the next largest group. They consider the Christians to be few. In Bebe-Jatto, however, there are many Christians and only a few Muslims and followers of traditional religion. In both villages there are three Christian denominations: Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic. Baptists form the largest group in Bebe-Jatto. With the exception of a Catholic cathechist in Sabongida (which is a neighboring of Bebe-Jatto), we interviewed no other religious leaders in either village. So we cannot say what potential for cooperation might exist among the various Christians to translate the Bible into Bebe.


What Are Their Needs?

Recordings of the Biblical accounts might be a way to reach this people through Pidgin or through the mother tongue. No forms of Gospel presentations exist in the heart language at present.

What Kind Of Missionaries Are Needed? Someone to produce recordings of Biblical accounts for this predominantly oral culture.

A health clinic is needed.


Prayer Points

Pray for spiritual growth in the church and that all Bebe-speakers will have an opportunity to understand and be reached with the Gospel.
Pray that those who are Christians would remain strong in the face of African Traditional Religion.


Scripture Prayers for the Bebe in Cameroon.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bebe
People Name in Country Bebe
Alternate Names
Population this Country 4,900
Population all Countries 4,900
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 3
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 5  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 10750
ROP3 Code 101181
Country Cameroon
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 43  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country North West region: Donga-Mantung division, Misaje subdivision, west of Nkambe, north of Ring Road, Bebe-Jama and Bebe-Jatto villages.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Cameroon
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 43  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country North West region: Donga-Mantung division, Misaje subdivision, west of Nkambe, north of Ring Road, Bebe-Jama and Bebe-Jatto villages..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.40 %)
61.00 %
Ethnic Religions
14.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
25.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Naami (4,900 speakers)
Language Code bzv   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Bebe
Dialect Code 4357   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Naami (4,900 speakers)
Language Code bzv   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Bebe
Dialect Code 4357   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Naami

Primary Language:  Naami

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2014-2019)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2022)
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Mobile App Android Bible app: Naami Bible Internet Publishing Sevice
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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